10 Tips for Divers to help Protect the Ocean

When you become immersed in an outdoor lifestyle sport like diving, most likely, you have an affinity or a deep love, even, for the underwater world.

If you’re like me, you want to know how to be a “good” diver and then eventually, how to use your skills to help protect the dive sites you love most. 

Just like climbers and campers have an ethic or code to live by – so do scuba divers. Project AWARE first launched an ethic more than two decades ago. 

Today, it’s no secret that the world – including the underwater world – is changing rapidly. This includes the ever-increasing and shifting threats to our ocean planet. 

But also the way we live, travel and even the way we learn to dive is evolving. 

When thinking about overhauling the Project AWARE philosophy for divers, we wanted to focus on top ocean issues globally – specifically where individual scuba divers can make a difference when they travel, dive, photograph and more. 

Download and share the full version of the new 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet at projectaware.org. 

Thank you for doing your part to protect the ocean and take these tips to heart each time you dive.

10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet

Divers share a deep connection with the ocean. 

You can make a difference for ocean protection every time you dive, travel and more.

1. Be a Buoyancy Expert

Underwater plants and animals are more fragile than they appear. The swipe of a fin, a bump of your camera or even a touch can destroy decades of coral growth, damage a plant or harm an animal. Streamline your scuba and photo gear, keep your dive skills sharp, perfect your underwater photo techniques and continue your dive training to fine-tune your skills. Always be aware of your body, dive gear and photo equipment to avoid contact with the natural environment.

2. Be a Role Model

New scuba divers are being trained and certified every day. Regardless of your experience level, be sure to set an excellent example for others when interacting with the environment – while underwater and on land. 

3. Take Only Photos – Leave Only Bubbles

Nearly everything natural found underwater is alive or will be used by a living creature. If you take a coral, shell or animal, you can disturb the delicate balance and add to the depletion of dive sites for future generations.

4. Protect Underwater Life

Choose not to touch, feed, handle, chase or ride anything underwater. Your actions may stress the animal, interrupt feeding and mating behaviour or provoke aggressive responses. Understand and respect underwater life and follow all local laws and regulations.

5. Become a Debris Activist 

An astonishing amount of waste makes it’s way underwater, reaching even the most remote ocean areas. Once there, it kills wildlife, destroys habitats and threatens our health and economy. Don’t let your dives go to waste. Remove and report what doesn’t belong underwater every time you dive. Make a conscious effort to buy green, buy local and, when possible, buy less.

6. Make Responsible Seafood Choices

Overfishing leads to species declines while harmful fishing practices damage and pollute underwater ecosystems. You play a critical role as a consumer. If seafood is part of your meal selection, ensure you’re choosing sustainably sourced species and encourage others, including restaurants and shop owners, to do the same.

7. Take Action

Scuba divers are some of the strongest ocean advocates on the planet. Now, more than ever, divers like you are taking a stand. Speak out for conservation, share your underwater images, report environmental damage to authorities and campaign for change.

8. Be an Eco-tourist

Make informed decisions when choosing and visiting a destination. Choose facilities dedicated to responsible social and environmental business practices that include water conservation, energy reduction, proper waste disposal, use of mooring buoys and respect for local cultures, laws and regulations.

9. Shrink Your Carbon Footprint 

Global warming and ocean acidification are putting your favourite animals and the whole ocean planet at risk. Do your part by understanding and reducing your carbon footprint and look for ways to offset what you can not reduce or overcome.

10. Give Back

Ocean protection depends on all of our actions, large and small. Investing in the ocean protects our planet and lets the dive adventure live on. Donate or fundraise for ocean protection to fuel the grassroots action and policy change necessary to ensure a clean, healthy ocean planet.

Thank you for giving our ocean planet the protections it deserves!

For the full version visit http://www.projectaware.org/project/10Tips